Bergavit™ - Clinical Research Data Summary
Bergavit™ is a clinically studied ingredient used in the following Silver Fern™ Brand product:
Introduction
Bergavit™ is a clinically studied bergamot (Citrus bergamia) extract standardized to provide 150 mg of flavonoids per day, sourced from Calabrian bergamot juice in Italy. Rich in key flavonoids including naringin, neohesperidin, and neoeriocitrin, Bergavit™ supports healthy lipid metabolism, with clinical research demonstrating reductions in LDL-C and total cholesterol and additional benefits for other markers of cardiovascular health. In randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, daily supplementation produced significant reductions in LDL-C and total cholesterol within two months, with benefits continuing over four months and demonstrated across both Caucasian and East Asian populations. Research has also shown favorable effects on oxidized LDL, while longer-term data demonstrate improvements in LDL particle distribution and reductions in carotid intima-media thickness, a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. The result is a comprehensive, evidence-backed approach to supporting cardiovascular and metabolic health.
These are the studies for Bergavit™. Below, we provided a summary of each key data for each study, along with a link to the complete clinical research.
- Summary of Study 1 — Full Script: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/23/3883
- Summary of Study 2 — Full Script: Dove Press — Journal of Experimental Pharmacology
- Summary of Study 3 — Full Script: Frontiers in Pharmacology
Ingredient Manufacturer Link: https://bionap.com/products/bergavit
Study 1 Summary
Complete Study Information: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/23/3883
Citrus bergamia Extract, a Natural Approach for Cholesterol and Lipid Metabolism Management: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.
Spina A, et al. Foods. 2024;13:3883. doi:10.3390/foods13233883.
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical trial evaluated whether daily supplementation with Bergavit™ could improve cholesterol and lipid metabolism in adults with untreated hypercholesterolemia.
Study Design Highlights
- Participants: 64 adults aged 40–70; 60 completed the study per protocol
- Population: Adults with untreated LDL-C levels of 160–190 mg/dL and BMI of 25–29.9 kg/m²
- Duration: 4 months
- Intervention: 375 mg/day Bergavit™ or identical placebo
- Standardization: Bergavit™ provided 150 mg/day of flavonoids, including neohesperidin, naringin, and neoeriocitrin
- Primary outcomes: LDL-C, HDL-C, total cholesterol, oxidized LDL (ox-LDL), and paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity
- Additional measurements: Triglycerides, blood pressure, body weight, glucose, HbA1c, and markers of hepatic and renal function
Key Findings (What the Study Showed)
1. Significant Reductions in LDL and Total Cholesterol
Bergavit™ produced progressive reductions in LDL-C throughout the study:
- 7.2% reduction after 2 months
- 8.8% reduction after 3 months
- 11.5% reduction after 4 months
By month 4, average LDL-C had decreased from 171.8 to 152.0 mg/dL, shifting the group's average LDL-C classification from "high" to "borderline high." LDL-C changes were significantly different from placebo at months 3 and 4.
Total cholesterol followed a similar pattern, decreasing 5.2% at month 2, 6.4% at month 3, and 8.8% at month 4. The reductions were significantly different from placebo beginning at month 3.
2. Favorable Effects on HDL and Oxidative Lipid Markers
HDL-C increased 7.8% after three months and remained 5.5% above baseline at month 4, although the month-4 increase did not reach statistical significance.
Bergavit™ also significantly increased PON1 activity by 6.5% at month 4. Oxidized LDL decreased 2.0% compared with a 2.7% increase in the placebo group, resulting in a significant between-group difference. Together, these findings suggest effects extending beyond LDL quantity to markers associated with lipoprotein oxidation and antioxidant protection.
3. Additional Cardiometabolic Improvements
At four months:
- Triglycerides decreased 16.7% in the Bergavit™ group, although the difference versus placebo was not statistically significant.
- Systolic blood pressure decreased 7.0% (8.6 mmHg) from baseline, with the comparison versus placebo reaching borderline statistical significance (p = 0.05).
- Body weight remained essentially unchanged, suggesting the lipid improvements occurred independently of meaningful weight loss.
4. Well-Tolerated Over Four Months
Bergavit™ was well tolerated throughout the study. Markers of hepatic and renal function remained stable, as did glucose and HbA1c, supporting a favorable safety profile at the studied dose.
Benefits of Bergavit™ Demonstrated by This Study
Based directly on the clinical outcomes, Bergavit™ was shown to:
- ✓ Reduce LDL cholesterol
- ✓ Reduce total cholesterol
- ✓ Support healthy HDL cholesterol
- ✓ Increase PON1 antioxidant activity
- ✓ Favorably influence oxidized LDL
- ✓ Support healthy triglyceride levels
- ✓ Support healthy systolic blood pressure
- ✓ Deliver progressive benefits with continued supplementation
- ✓ Remain well tolerated without adverse changes in liver, kidney, or glycemic markers
Why This Study Matters
This study provides particularly strong evidence for Bergavit™ because it used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design and evaluated the same standardized dose intended for practical supplementation.
Rather than producing only a transient change, Bergavit™ progressively lowered LDL-C over four months, culminating in an 11.5% reduction in LDL-C and 8.8% reduction in total cholesterol. The additional improvements in PON1 and oxidized LDL suggest that Bergavit™ may also influence aspects of lipoprotein metabolism beyond conventional cholesterol measurements.
Importantly, these improvements occurred without meaningful weight loss or adverse changes in liver function, kidney function, glucose, or HbA1c.
In short: This study demonstrates that a standardized daily dose of Bergavit™ can meaningfully improve LDL-C and total cholesterol within 2–4 months while also supporting broader markers of healthy lipid metabolism.
Reference Link: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/23/3883
Study 2 Summary
Complete Study Information: Dove Press — Journal of Experimental Pharmacology
Lipid Metabolism Modulation by a Flavonoid-Standardized Citrus bergamia Extract in an Asian Population: Findings From a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.
Yu X, et al. Journal of Experimental Pharmacology. 2026;18.
This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical trial evaluated whether Bergavit™ could improve lipid parameters in East Asian adults with mildly to moderately elevated LDL cholesterol. Importantly, previous Bergavit™ clinical trials had been conducted in Caucasian populations, making this the first study to evaluate whether its lipid-modulating effects could be reproduced in an Asian population.
Study Design Highlights
- Participants: 108 East Asian adults aged 40–70; 102 completed the study
- Population: Adults with LDL-C between 100–159 mg/dL; approximately half were specifically recruited within the 119–139 mg/dL range
- Duration: 4 months
- Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial
- Intervention: 375 mg/day Bergavit™ taken at breakfast
- Standardization: Approximately 150 mg/day of flavonoids, including neohesperidin, naringin, and neoeriocitrin
- Primary outcomes: LDL-C, HDL-C, and total cholesterol
- Secondary outcomes: Triglycerides, oxidized LDL (ox-LDL), PON1 activity, body weight, blood pressure, glucose, HbA1c, CRP, and hepatic and renal safety markers
Key Findings (What the Study Showed)
1. Progressive Reductions in LDL and Total Cholesterol
Bergavit™ produced significant reductions in LDL-C beginning after just two months:
- 5.4% reduction at month 2
- 5.8% reduction at month 3
- 7.0% reduction at month 4
LDL-C decreased from 134.2 mg/dL at baseline to 124.7 mg/dL after four months, while LDL-C trended upward in the placebo group. Importantly, differences between Bergavit™ and placebo were statistically significant at every measured time point.
Total cholesterol followed a similar pattern, decreasing:
- 4.5% at month 2
- 5.9% at month 3
- 7.3% at month 4
Total cholesterol remained essentially unchanged in the placebo group, with significant differences between Bergavit™ and placebo at all measured time points.
2. Benefits Were Maintained Even at Lower Baseline LDL Levels
A particularly useful finding was that Bergavit™ remained effective among participants beginning with LDL-C levels of only 119–139 mg/dL.
Within this subgroup, LDL-C decreased 6.3% and total cholesterol decreased 6.6% after four months. Meanwhile, LDL-C increased 4.0% in the placebo group. This suggests Bergavit™'s lipid-modulating effects are not limited to individuals with markedly elevated cholesterol.
3. Favorable Effects on Oxidized LDL and Triglyceride Maintenance
Oxidized LDL decreased 38.5% by month 4 in the Bergavit™ group. Ox-LDL also decreased substantially in the placebo group (29.8%), but the difference between groups was statistically significant at month 4. The authors appropriately characterize ox-LDL as an exploratory outcome because standardized clinical reference ranges have not been established.
Triglycerides remained stable in participants taking Bergavit™, while increasing 28.4% in the placebo group by month 4. The between-group difference was statistically significant, suggesting Bergavit™ helped maintain healthy triglyceride levels over the intervention period rather than directly lowering them from baseline.
4. Well-Tolerated with High Compliance
Bergavit™ was well tolerated throughout the four-month intervention:
- No treatment-related withdrawals were reported
- Treatment adherence exceeded 90%
- Liver markers (AST, ALT, GGT) remained stable
- Creatinine remained stable
- Fasting glucose and HbA1c were not significantly altered
- Body weight remained essentially unchanged
These findings support a favorable safety and tolerability profile at the studied dose.
Benefits of Bergavit™ Demonstrated by This Study
Based directly on the clinical outcomes, Bergavit™ was shown to:
- ✓ Reduce LDL cholesterol
- ✓ Reduce total cholesterol
- ✓ Produce measurable lipid benefits within 2 months
- ✓ Maintain efficacy in individuals with lower baseline LDL-C
- ✓ Favorably influence oxidized LDL
- ✓ Support maintenance of healthy triglyceride levels
- ✓ Produce consistent effects in an East Asian population
- ✓ Remain well tolerated over 4 months
- ✓ Deliver benefits without meaningful changes in body weight or glycemic markers
Why This Study Matters
This study expands the clinical evidence for Bergavit™ in two important ways.
First, it demonstrates that the lipid benefits previously observed in Caucasian populations can also be reproduced in an East Asian population, despite potential genetic, dietary, and metabolic differences between populations. The authors note that the magnitude and pattern of LDL-C and total cholesterol reductions were consistent with previous Bergavit™ trials.
Second, the study enrolled participants with less-elevated baseline LDL-C than the previous 2024 trial. Even among the subgroup starting at 119–139 mg/dL, Bergavit™ produced significant reductions in LDL-C and total cholesterol compared with placebo. This broadens the evidence beyond individuals with more pronounced hypercholesterolemia.
The study also had a rigorous design with randomization, double-blinding, allocation concealment, intermediate assessments, high compliance, and relatively few dropouts. The authors identify the lack of dietary control, absence of pharmacogenetic/metabolomic assessment, four-month duration, and relatively small sample size as limitations.
In short: This study demonstrates that Bergavit™ produces progressive, statistically significant reductions in LDL-C and total cholesterol in an East Asian population, including adults with only moderately elevated LDL-C. Together with previous clinical trials, the findings strengthen the evidence that Bergavit™'s lipid-modulating effects are reproducible across different populations and baseline cholesterol levels.
Reference Link: Dove Press — Journal of Experimental Pharmacology
Study 3 Summary
Complete Study Information: Frontiers in Pharmacology
Bergamot Reduces Plasma Lipids, Atherogenic Small Dense LDL, and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Subjects with Moderate Hypercholesterolemia: A 6 Months Prospective Study.
Toth PP, et al. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2016;6:299. doi:10.3389/fphar.2015.00299.
This prospective human clinical study evaluated the effects of 6 months of Bergavit™ supplementation on blood lipids, LDL particle distribution, and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, in adults with moderate hypercholesterolemia.
Study Design Highlights
- Participants: 80 adults (42 men, 38 women), mean age 55 ± 13 years
- Population: Adults with moderate hypercholesterolemia and baseline LDL-C of 160–190 mg/dL; participants were naïve to statin therapy
- Duration: 6 months
- Intervention: Daily Bergavit™ providing 150 mg bergamot flavonoids
- Flavonoid profile: 16% neoeriocitrin, 47% neohesperidin, and 37% naringin
- Primary measurements: Total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides, LDL particle subclasses, and carotid intima-media thickness
- Study design: Prospective clinical intervention; importantly, there was no placebo/control group
Key Findings (What the Study Showed)
1. Significant Improvements in Blood Lipids
After 6 months of Bergavit™ supplementation:
- Total cholesterol decreased 12%: 257 → 223 mg/dL
- LDL-C decreased 20%: 176 → 144 mg/dL
- Triglycerides decreased 17%: 162 → 136 mg/dL
- HDL-C increased 8%: 48 → 52 mg/dL
All changes were statistically significant. The LDL-C response was also greater among participants who began the study with higher LDL-C levels.
2. Shift Toward a Less Atherogenic LDL Profile
Bergavit™ did more than reduce the overall amount of LDL cholesterol—it significantly changed LDL particle distribution.
After 6 months:
- Large LDL-1 particles increased 20%
- Small, dense LDL-3 decreased 38%
- Small, dense LDL-4 decreased 53%
- Small, dense LDL-5 decreased 67%
The overall LDL particle size also increased significantly. Small, dense LDL particles are considered particularly atherogenic because they have reduced LDL-receptor affinity, remain in circulation longer, penetrate the vascular endothelium more readily, and are more susceptible to oxidation.
3. Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Decreased 25%
One of the most notable findings was a significant reduction in carotid intima-media thickness:
- Baseline: 1.2 ± 0.4 mm
- 6 months: 0.9 ± 0.1 mm
- Change: −25% (p < 0.0001)
cIMT is an ultrasound measurement of arterial wall thickness used as a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. The researchers also found that improvements in cIMT correlated with changes in the smallest LDL-5 particles.
4. Bergavit™ May Influence Both LDL Quantity and Quality
The combination of lower LDL-C and fewer small, dense LDL particles suggests that Bergavit™ may influence both the quantity and distribution of circulating LDL.
The researchers proposed several potential mechanisms for bergamot flavonoids, including activation of SIRT1/AMPK signaling, increased fatty-acid oxidation, reduced VLDL synthesis, and increased LDL-receptor expression. These mechanisms were proposed based on previous research and were not directly measured in this clinical trial.
5. Bergavit™ Was Well Tolerated
All 80 participants completed supplementation, and no adverse events were reported during the 6-month study.
Benefits of Bergavit™ Demonstrated by This Study
Based directly on the clinical findings, 6 months of Bergavit™ supplementation was associated with:
- ✓ Reduced total cholesterol
- ✓ Reduced LDL cholesterol
- ✓ Reduced triglycerides
- ✓ Increased HDL cholesterol
- ✓ Reduced atherogenic small, dense LDL particles
- ✓ Increased larger LDL particles
- ✓ Reduced carotid intima-media thickness
- ✓ Good tolerability over 6 months
Why This Study Matters
This study is particularly interesting because it goes beyond standard cholesterol measurements. Bergavit™ was associated not only with a 20% reduction in LDL-C and 17% reduction in triglycerides, but also with substantial reductions in the smaller, denser LDL subclasses and a 25% reduction in carotid intima-media thickness.
That gives the study a broader cardiovascular story than simply "bergamot lowers cholesterol": the results suggest improvements in conventional lipid markers, LDL particle characteristics, and a structural marker associated with subclinical atherosclerosis.
The major limitation is that this was a prospective before-and-after intervention without a placebo group, so the study cannot establish that Bergavit™ alone caused all of the observed changes. The authors explicitly identify the absence of a control group as a limitation.
Reference Link: Frontiers in Pharmacology
Big-Picture Integration with Other Studies
- Study 1: Randomized controlled evidence for progressive LDL-C and total cholesterol reduction
- Study 2: Replication of lipid benefits in an East Asian population with lower baseline LDL-C
- Study 3: Improvements in LDL particle quality and carotid intima-media thickness over 6 months
Together, these studies establish Bergavit™ as a clinically validated bergamot extract that supports healthy lipid metabolism across different populations while addressing both conventional cholesterol markers and broader indicators of cardiovascular health.
Big-Picture Takeaway
- Study 1: Bergavit™ significantly reduces LDL-C and total cholesterol, with benefits emerging within 2 months and continuing through 4 months
- Study 2: Bergavit™ reproduces these lipid benefits in an East Asian population, including individuals with only moderately elevated baseline LDL-C
- Study 3: Bergavit™ goes beyond conventional cholesterol levels by favorably shifting LDL particle distribution and reducing carotid intima-media thickness
Together, these studies show Bergavit™ is not simply a cholesterol-lowering botanical—it is a multi-dimensional lipid and cardiovascular support ingredient with clinically demonstrated effects across complementary markers of cardiovascular health.
Bergavit™ Ingredient Summary & Real-World Relevance
Bergavit™ isn't just another bergamot extract—it is a standardized, clinically studied approach to supporting healthy lipid metabolism. Providing 150 mg of bergamot flavonoids per day, including naringin, neohesperidin, and neoeriocitrin, Bergavit™ has demonstrated consistent effects on LDL-C and total cholesterol across multiple human clinical studies. In randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled research, meaningful improvements emerged within just two months and continued with ongoing supplementation.
What makes Bergavit™ particularly compelling is the consistency of its clinical evidence. Its lipid-modulating effects have now been demonstrated in both Caucasian and East Asian populations and across different starting cholesterol levels. In the 2026 trial, even participants beginning with LDL-C of just 119–139 mg/dL experienced significant reductions in LDL-C and total cholesterol compared with placebo. This suggests Bergavit™ may be relevant not only for individuals with substantially elevated cholesterol, but also for those looking to proactively maintain healthier lipid levels.
The benefits may also extend beyond the numbers on a standard lipid panel. Longer-term clinical research found favorable shifts away from smaller, denser LDL particles, while carotid intima-media thickness—a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis—also decreased. More recent controlled research has additionally demonstrated favorable changes in oxidized LDL, suggesting that Bergavit™ may support multiple dimensions of lipoprotein and cardiovascular health rather than simply lowering circulating LDL-C.
From a practical standpoint, Bergavit™ also offers a relatively simple intervention: 375 mg of extract once daily, delivering the clinically studied 150 mg flavonoid dose. Across the controlled trials, supplementation was well tolerated, with no clinically meaningful adverse changes in hepatic or renal markers, glucose, HbA1c, body weight, or other major safety parameters. In the 2026 study, adherence exceeded 90%, with no withdrawals attributed to treatment-related adverse events.
In short: Bergavit™ provides clinically validated, progressive support for healthy cholesterol and lipid metabolism, with benefits demonstrated across populations and extending beyond LDL-C alone. Rather than targeting a single number, Bergavit™ supports a broader cardiovascular picture—including LDL-C, total cholesterol, LDL particle characteristics, oxidized LDL, and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis.
Ingredient Manufacturer Link: https://bionap.com/products/bergavit
Bergavit™ is a clinically studied ingredient used in the following Silver Fern™ Brand product: